Easy Under-the-Sink Storage Ideas

Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

By
Kristin Appenbrink

Whether in the kitchen or the bathroom, the area underneath the sink is a designated dumping ground. Tossing (ok, shoving) things in almost comes too naturally. Finding those necessary items when you really need them (and usually racing the clock) is pretty much impossible. Take back that small space. Prepare to conquer clutter with these practical strategies and clever tricks that anyone can incorporate into their home.

1 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Pots & Pans: The Strategy

Short on cabinet space? With smart organizers, your cooking set and a small appliance can find a cozy home under the sink. The secret? Rolling drawers that make it easy to slide and retrieve items stored in the back.

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2 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Pots & Pans: The Tricks

Left: Stash the items that you use less frequently (stock pots, stand mixer, slow-cooker) in the back since you won’t need them every day. Keep the items that you reach for often in the front like saucepans and frying pans. To buy: Roll-Out Cabinet Drawer, $60, containerstore.com.

Top right: Lid racks can accommodate more than the obvious. Store cutting boards, muffin tins, and other shallow baking dishes in the rows, staggering them so that each item is at your fingertips.To buy: Roll-Out Lid Holder, $49, containerstore.com.

Bottom right: Adding an over-the-door hook makes it easy to hang oven mitts or a spare dishtowel nearby, but not out of sight.To buy: Axis Over the Cabinet Hooks, $12 for four, stacksandstacks.com.

3 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Kitchen Cleaning Supplies: The Strategy

Storing soaps, sprays, and sponges under the sink is a natural fit—you want to keep them hidden. Just make sure that everything is easily accessible, so you don’t have to move 18 different spray bottles just to reach the extra roll of paper towels.

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4 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Kitchen Cleaning Supplies: The Tricks

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5 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Kitchen Trash & Recycling: The Strategy

Out of sight...but hardly out of mind. Keep refuse hidden, yet still organized, underneath the sink. Prep those recyclables for collection by arming yourself with tools for sorting from the get-go. Assign one bin per category to keep glass and plastic containers separate from magazines and newspapers.

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6 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Kitchen Trash & Recycling: The Tricks

Left: A gliding bin like this one keeps garbage and recyclables separate, but still easy to reach. If you have a step can for your trash, task both bins with recycling duties and separate by type.To buy: Pull Out Recycler, $80, macys.com.

Right: Put the cabinet door to work by stashing plastic bags in a chrome holder. The hole in the middle makes it easy to fish one out when needed.To buy: Over Cabinet Bag Holder, $15, containerstore.com.

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7 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Bathroom Cleaners: The Strategy

If you’re lucky enough to have closed storage under your bathroom sink, use it for stashing cleaning supplies and extra toilet paper. Give the things you use daily a prominent spot, and store everything else together.

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8 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Bathroom Cleaners: The Tricks

Left: Keep the rest of your scrubbing supplies in an easy-to-grab basket so you can pull it out when it’s time to give everything a once-over. If your cabinet is wide enough, fill a second basket with extra toilet paper and boxes of tissue. Large bottles, like those bulky bleach ones, can be stashed in the back.To buy: Vinea Storage Baskets, starting at $35, amazon.com.

Right: For the cleaning supplies you grab on a regular basis (shower spray, glass cleaner), use a tension rod to hang them separately from the other products.To buy: Tension rod, $12, amazon.com.

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9 of 10Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Organize Cosmetics & Toiletries: The Strategy

If you’re a makeup junkie, use the space under your sink to stash everything from cotton swabs and hair ties to extra body wash and your constantly expanding nail polish collection. Keep family members’ items together by giving each person a matching basket with all of their daily essentials inside.

Right: Even if your drawers are somewhat translucent, clearly label what’s stored inside so you don’t waste time digging around searching for what you need. Smaller plastic containers (or even cardboard jewelry boxes) are perfect for keeping like things together. Maintaining a sense of order can actually be therapeutic.To buy: Elfa Mesh Drawer Unit, starting at $81, containerstore.com.